The Board denied service connection for the cause of death, which was respiratory failure due to esophageal cancer, as there is no evidence that it was related to the Veteran's service or exposure to herbicides.
The deciding factor: The probative evidence did not support a finding of exposure to herbicides during active service and there was no evidence linking the cause of death to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Respiratory failure due to esophageal cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2025
- Citation
- 25006586
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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